Crux | Survey says COVID-19 putting stress on families, and motivating Biden supporters

Marriages are surviving the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, but are undergoing a lot of stress, especially among poorer couples.

According to the annual American Family Survey conducted by The Deseret News and Brigham Young University, around 34 percent of married couples say the stress in their marriage has increased due to the pandemic.

“Having experienced an economic crisis almost doubles the percentage of people who believe the coronavirus pandemic has increased stress in their marriage. On the strength of marriage question the number almost triples because of an economic crisis,” the poll says, adding that lower income individuals are twice as likely to question the strength of their marriage.

Gender differences were also revealed: Men tended to say they’re dividing household tasks 50-50; women say it’s more like 65-35. Men are also more likely to say the pandemic has affected their work-life balance.

However, the authors of the survey claim that during the pandemic, family ties have been the most important factor for dealing with the crisis.

“On the whole, family relationships appear to provide resources and support for navigating the coronavirus, not cause additional stress and difficulty. In this sense, families and relationships may be the lifeline through COVID-19, not the casualty of it,” the authors of the survey say.

Boyd Matheson, Deseret News Opinion Editor, sad this is the “silver lining” of the COVID-19 crisis.

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